Do You Submit Resumes in the Word?

Do you submit resumes in the Word, Pages or PDF format?

A resume should be based upon effectiveness rather than length. The average length of a resume today is two pages; however, we will create a one- or three-page resume if that is in your best interest. While the one-page resume myth still haunts some professionals, reducing your resume to one page may result in the exclusion of critical selling points. Our strategy is to provide an overview of your strengths and achievements to capture the employer's attention within 10 seconds while highlighting key responsibilities and accomplishments in your career history. In general, most companies conduct a thorough screening process involving both computerized and human reviews; this process typically includes the following stages. THE ONLINE/E-RESUME SCREENING. Many companies, professionals, and recruiters utilize online networking and social media websites such as LinkedIn. Additionally, some mid- to large-sized companies continue to use internal resume databases (aka Applicant Tracking Systems) or Internet resources for storing and screening applicant information. To get noticed in the online or electronic scanning and networking process, your resume must be specially formatted and also leverage industry-specific keywords and phrases to be selected. THE BRIEF SCAN. Hiring managers, upon initial review, will perform a brief 10-second scan to determine if a candidate appears to meet the majority of the requirements. This is why a powerful summary of skills or a concise first page is critical. THE IN-DEPTH REVIEW. Next, employers scrutinize the details of your resume for relevant skills and strengths to warrant an interview. Lacking detail of daily responsibilities and key projects, you may be relegated to the "no interest" stack as employers weigh the need for more information versus their time allotted for interviews. The key to resume writing is balancing brevity with relevant depth and detail; with inside knowledge of what employers desire in resumes, we have been successful in finding this balance to create powerful, professional job-winning documents!